andie16

Looking for suggestions/tweaks to my August 2020 Yellowstone/GTNP itinerary. Will be headed there with my husband and three kids (16, 14, 10). Youngest is not a big hiker (by next year hoping she will be able to do a max of 5 miles) and all will benefit from mixing up activities so it's not just hiking and driving. My husband and I have been to both parks, but it was 20 years ago and we camped so no experience with hotels. We almost always stay in apartments rather than hotel rooms for space, but would prefer to stay in the park this time so not sure if we will need two rooms. Thinking about staying in Teton Village for GTNP portion of trip to have easy access to "other stuff" to do (ropes course, alpine coaster, etc.).

Have been pouring through posts and trip reports - so helpful, thank you!

Day 1-Fly to Billings
Drive to Red Lodge, MT
Lodging - (pool)
Day 2-Drive Beartooth Hwy to YNP
Mammoth Hot Springs
Boiling River Swimming Hole?
Lodging - Roosevelt Lodge
Day 3-Guided tour with Yellowstone Forever?
Lamar Valley (early!)
Tower Falls
Grand Canyon of Yellowstone
Lodging - Roosevelt Lodge
Day 4-Drive to Old Faithful via Mammoth Hot Springs
Norris Geyser Basin
Grand Prismatic Spring
Firehole Swimming Area?
Lodging - Old Faithful Inn
Day 5 -Old Faithful (early!)
Rent bikes?
Drive to GTNP or Jackson
Lodging - ? at Jackson Lake Lodge or in Jackson or Teton Village (3 nights)
Day 6-Rafting (more likely) or Horseback Ride (less likely) in am?
Hang out at hotel pool/relax in pm
Lodging -
Day 7
Jenny Lake/Hidden Falls or Taggart Lake Loop Hike or hike to and swim in a lake (String or Leigh?)
Driving tour of GTNP
Lodging-?stay where we are or head up to Canyon
Day 8-Drive to YNP if not already there
West Thumb Geyser Basin
Yellowstone Lake
Hayden Valley (early evening)
Lodging - Canyon Lodge
Day 9-Drive to Cody, WY
Buffalo Bill Museum
Rodeo
Lodging - (pool)
Day 10-Drive to Billings and fly home

Thanks for your thoughts!
Andie16

Patty

Are you asking for a lodging suggestion in Red Lodge? We stayed at Chateau Rouge. They have 2 bedroom apartments and a pool onsite.

Roosevelt is in a great location. You can access the Lost Lake trail from the lodge. Buy/rent and familiarize yourself with the use of bear spray for your hikes in Yellowstone/GTNP. You location choices for in park accommodations are good but I can't tell if you're already holding reservations. If not, you'll want to get started on that soon as reservations for next summer opened on May 1.

For GTNP Dornan's has 2 bedroom cabins and Signal Mountain Lodge has larger units if you're looking to all be together but neither has pool. Signal Mountain is right on the lake and has a marina for rentals.

Teton Village is fine too if you plan to do things outside of the park. Part of Moose Wilson Rd is unpaved and can be slow going but it's a good wildlife watching corridor. The road is also subject to temporary closures for dust abatement https://www.nps.gov/grte/learn/news/...-abatement.htm

andie16

Thanks, Patty. I appreciate the suggestions and will check out Chateau Rouge for sure. I don't have any reservations yet as I'm still trying to firm up our dates. I'm ok with getting two hotel rooms if that's what we need to do so will probably shoot for Jackson Lake Lodge since is has a pool if we decide to stay in GTNP vs staying in Jackson or Teton Village. Good to know about possible road closure. We didn't carry bear spray when we were last there and just had a bell, but we will definitely be buying or renting bear spray this time! I'll add Lost Lake trail to my list of ideas-looks like a lovely hike for our family.